Heath Ledger TMZ has learned that 2006 Academy Award nominee Heath Ledger has died in NY.

He was found dead in his bed in one of his residences in Soho by his housekeeper at 3:35 PM ET today. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ they believe it was not a crime, adding that prescription pills were found near his body.

According to NYPD a masseuse arrived at Ledger's apartment and was let in by a housekeeper. When Ledger didn't answer his bedroom door, the housekeeper and the masseuse opened it and found him unconscious. They attempted to wake him; when they couldn't, they called 911.

We're told when paramedics responded, the actor was in full cardiac arrest. They attempted to perform CPR on him, but were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The 28-year-old actor has a two year old daughter with former fiancee Michelle Williams -- they separated in September, 2007. He plays The Joker in the upcoming Batman film, "The Dark Knight" and is perhaps best known for his groundbreaking role as Ennis in "Brokeback Mountain.

CLEVELAND -- LeBron James loves the New York Yankees -- from head to toe.

LeBron James

AP Photo/Amy Sancetta

Local superstar LeBron James took heat from Cleveland fans for wearing a Yankees cap to Jacobs Field.

The Cavaliers' All-Star forward, who angered some Cleveland fans by wearing a Yankees baseball cap in the Indians' home ballpark while cheering for New York during last year's AL playoffs, has taken his devotion to the Bronx Bombers one step further.

James' newest sneaker in his signature line with Nike is a tribute to his favorite hardball team: the Yankees.

Dominated by the team's traditional blue-and-white color scheme, the Air Zoom LeBron V shoe features New York's famed pinstripes as well as James' No. 23, the number worn by popular Yankees first baseman Don Mattingly.

Also, under the tongue are the words "Le-Bron Ja-Mes. Clap. Clap. Clap Clap Clap," a nod to the cheer New York fans reserve for their beloved Yankees, and on the strap is the phrase: "Fresh for '08. Suckers!"

Nike spokesman Kejuan Wilkins said the Yankees-themed shoe will be released in March. Initial plans are for it to be sold only in New York.

This isn't the first Big Apple-inspired shoe developed for the 23-year-old Akron native, who signed a seven-year, $90 million deal with Nike before he graduated from high school. Last year, the world's leading supplier of sports shoes and apparel released a James shoe with New York-style graffiti on it.

"LeBron has a great appreciation for New York City itself," Wilkins said, "and this is just another tie."

Nike was keeping the new shoe a secret, but photos taken in Hong Kong were leaked to an Internet site last week.

Wilkins did not know if James will wear the Yankees shoes in a game. The Cavaliers visit the New York Knicks on March 5.

In October, James drew the ire of many Clevelanders when he sat behind home plate boldly sporting a New York cap to Game 1 of the division series between the Yankees and Indians. It wasn't just that James wore enemy colors, but he flaunted the despised interlocking "NY" logo by raising it high over his head, a gesture some took as a slight to the hometown Indians.

In the days following the game, James was blistered on sports talk radio by callers who couldn't understand why he would be so brash.

James has been loyal to the Yankees since he was a kid. He's also a big Dallas Cowboys fan.

His latest fashion statement has sparked new debate over James' allegiances.

"As a fan of Cleveland and of the Cavaliers, I'm wondering, why not a LeBron Cleveland Indians shoe?" Lloyd Boyd of Cleveland said after shopping for new sneakers at a suburban sporting goods store with his wife, Juanita. "He can do what he wants, but he is from Akron, not the Bronx.

"On the other hand, he's a businessman and he wants to market himself and sell more shoes," he said.

Juanita's take was more forgiving.

"He's already marketing himself by playing for Cleveland," she said. "I don't care what kind of shoes he wears as long as he's with the Cavaliers and they're winning games, that's all that matters."

James' fondness for the Yankees could lead to a backlash in Cleveland, where fans have been waiting since 1964 to celebrate a major professional sports championship.

"He runs the risk of rubbing some of his core fans the wrong way," said Paul Swangard, director of the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon. "But you can't make everyone happy."

Swangard, who consults athletes on marketing strategies, doesn't feel James has done anything to compromise himself.

"You have to be true to who you are," Swangard said. "If he's not a die-hard Cleveland Indians fan, then don't pretend to be someone you're not or you risk losing all your credibility."

Let's trade the knicks starting 5 for LeBron since he loves NY so much heck we'll even through in Isaiah. and we can pick up 4 bums from the crowd and am sure we'd do better than the current Knicks team

WASHINGTON -- Four-time All-Star Chuck Knoblauch is being subpoenaed by a congressional committee investigating steroids in baseball after he failed to respond to an invitation to give a deposition.

Knoblauch, who played for the Yankees, Twins and Royals, was asked to appear Thursday, the first of five depositions or transcribed interviews scheduled by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee before its Feb. 13 hearing.

Roger Clemens is scheduled to speak to committee staff Saturday, followed by Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte on Jan. 30. Brian McNamee, a former personal trainer for Clemens and Pettitte, is due in Jan. 31, with former New York Mets clubhouse employee Kirk Radomski to appear Feb. 1.

They all had until close of business Tuesday to respond to their invitations; Knoblauch's deadline was last Friday, because his deposition was scheduled first.

"The committee has taken this step because Mr. Knoblauch failed to respond to the invitation to participate voluntarily in a deposition or transcribed interview and the Feb. 13 hearing," committee chairman Henry Waxman and ranking Republican Tom Davis said in a statement Tuesday.

It has not been clear whether Knoblauch has retained a lawyer to represent him.

"I haven't talked to Chuck in a number of years," his last listed agent with the players' association, Randy Hendricks, wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press. Hendricks represents Clemens and Pettitte.

In last month's Mitchell report on performance-enhancing drugs in baseball, McNamee said he injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone in 1998, 2000 and 2001, accusations the seven-time Cy Young Award winner has denied. McNamee also alleged Pettitte used HGH, and Pettitte acknowledged McNamee injected him twice while the pitcher was recovering from an injury.

McNamee also told Mitchell that he acquired HGH from Radomski for Knoblauch in 2001 and injected Knoblauch with HGH. Knoblauch also was among nine players accused of doping in a federal agent's affidavit citing former major league pitcher Jason Grimsley.

Knoblauch was an infielder who won the AL Rookie of the Year Award with the Twins in 1991 and played in the majors until 2002. His time with the Yankees overlapped McNamee's.

All the allegations are for conduct that occurred before September 2002, when players and owners jointly banned steroids.

McNamee has said he obtained performance-enhancing drugs from Radomski, who has pleaded guilty to distributing steroids and laundering money. Radomski's sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 8.

One of the repercussions of the New York Giants' win in the NFC championship game yesterday might be that it could delay the Ravens' effort to assemble their coaching staff.

How so?

Well, among the candidates that the Atlanta Falcons still want to interview for head coach is Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. But because this would be Spagnuolo's first interview with the Falcons, Atlanta can't speak to him until after the Super Bowl (teams can bring in coaches for second interviews during the current week).

Atlanta couldn't get Spagnuolo for an initial interview right after the regular season ended, because the Giants were in the wild-card round and New York didn't have to grant permission for the interview - and did not because the Giants felt it would be a distraction.

Meanwhile, Rex Ryan, the former Ravens defensive coordinator, is also a candidate for the Falcons job. After hiring John Harbaugh as head coach, the Ravens said they'd like to retain Ryan as defensive coordinator. But if Ryan's status can't be cleared up because the Falcons' head coaching search is on hold, that means the Ravens' staffing plans are likewise stymied for the time being.

Miami Dolphins rookie head coach Tony Sparano on Tuesday made the first of what is expected to be several strikes on the staff of his former employers, hiring Dallas Cowboys secondary coach Todd Bowles as assistant head coach.

Bowles' contract with the Cowboys officially expired at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday and the Dolphins wasted little time in securing his services. The move had been anticipated and Sparano, hired by vice president of football operations Bill Parcells to succeed Cam Cameron last week, probably isn't finished adding former Dallas colleagues to his staff.

Cowboys linebackers coach Paul Pasqualoni is expected to move to the Dolphins as their defensive coordinator and Dallas defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers has been offered the same job on Sparano's staff. The contracts of both Pasqualoni and Rodgers also expired on Tuesday morning.

In addition, the Dolphins hired James Saxon as running backs coach and Evan Marcus as strength and conditioning coach. Former UCLA head coach Karl Dorrell could soon join the Dolphins as receivers coach and veteran offensive coordinator Dan Henning, a longtime friend of Parcells, is also being courted.

Bowles, 44, was an NFL defensive back for nine seasons with Washington (1986-90 and 1992-93), and San Francisco, and coached three seasons in the college ranks before joining the New York Jets' staff in 2000. In addition to one year with the Jets, he worked with Cleveland (2001-04), before moving to the Cowboys in 2005.

A former running back, Saxon has been an NFL assistant for seven seasons, the last six of those with the Kansas City Chiefs. Saxon, 41, played seven years in the league with the Chiefs (1988-91), Dolphins (1992-94), and Eagles (1995). He also coached three seasons in college.

Marcus, 40, was the Atlanta Falcons' strength coach in 2007. He previously worked in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints for three seasons (2000-02).

Yea, I think that roll kinda fucked up with his head. Apparently he spent like 3 months in a hotel by himself preparing for the role. However, the dark knight still might be fucked. Actors usually go into a studio and say their lines over again because sets might echo their voice weird. I know this is sad, but I am hoping he got them done.

Wow. This is shocking.

My sister said the whole thing with the movie is done but like you Twist, she says maybe his role as Joker had an affect or something.

Wow, he was such a good actor.

RIP

On the scrolling thing on the bottom, it says

The New York Times website says he died at the apartment of the Olsen Twins.

I saw this being brought up on a different message board. Ledger has said he immerses himself in his character.

Do you think him playing the Joker messed up his head a little bit? AS we know, the Joker is an insanely creepy person, and is diabolical. I mean it's a long reach, but I suppose it's plausible.

I definitely think the actor mentality had something to do with it, Twist. Serious actors are just like all other artists in that they're constantly troubled by their creative demons and self-criticism. It might be hard for us to understand how someone who makes millions of dollars per movie can feel inadequate, but I think that's the reality for a majority of talented actors. Not to mention they have to deal with the added pressure of constant media attention.

My theatre teacher once said that all the great and successful actors he's ever known have had troubled personal lives. Even though that seems exaggerated, I imagine it's not very far from the truth.

Patriots vice president Scott Pioli gives us five things Falcons fans should know about new general manager Thomas Dimitroff, New England's former college scouting director:

1. He loves Atlanta. He lived there for four years when he was a Southeast area scout and he used rave about the city and the quality of life. I always spent quite a bit of time with him when I would come down for a week for NFL Europe training camp.

2. He's an accomplished cyclist and mountain biker. He has competed in at the "expert level" in mountain biking competitions.

3. He went to high school and college in Canada and is a big fan of the Montreal Expos and Toronto Maple Leafs.

4. He's as dedicated to the game of football as much as anyone I know. When he was scouting for the World League in the early 1990s, the league folded. Thomas moved to Cleveland, lived with his parents and worked for the Browns as part of the grounds crew. At the end of the day he'd come up to my office with grass clippings and field paint from head to toe and watch film and talk football. He smelled pretty ripe some days too.

5. He's a health fanatic. Even with all of his time spent on the road, he maintains a vigorous workout routine and healthy vegetarian diet. I've known him to have worked out at 4 a.m. while on the road.

The Redskins reportedly expect to name a new head coach within the next two days.

It's believed that Jim Fassel, who interviewed for the job (again?) early this week, was the "mystery" candidate all along. The Redskins might lose both Gregg Williams and assistant head coach/offense Al Saunders if Fassel gets the head job, but Fassel also may be an offensive coordinator candidate.Source: Washington Post

We should have no competition to get Spags now. What about Spags as HC, Saunders as OC, and Greg Williams as DC?

Dimitroff and Spags have a history together. No way would Spags take the Skins job.

Giants could even deny the request. Spags is under contract with the Giants and I dont think they would let him go to a division rival.

The Giants' defense improved from 21st to 7th in yards allowed after Spagnola took over. You also have to be impressed that his defenses stopped the Cowboys and Packers in the playoffs, two of the best offenses in the NFC. His defenses seem to get better in the 2nd half, which indicates to me he is great at halftime adjustments.

They really seemed to gell as the year progessed. The Defense they started the season with is not the same one they ended with. He deserves alot of the credit for that IMO. IF he were to stay with the Giants another year I think the Defense would a formidable one to say the least but I doubt that happens. Sucks for the Giant... [Tongue]

As far as Coughlin, it's possible that his attitude change was helped when he brought in Spags. He brings passion. You can see it on the sideline. That may have rubbed of on Coughlin. The players love Spags. In the NFC championship game, the cameras went to Spags everytime something big happened. I think they showed him more than Coughlin and McCarthy

That's a good point but he's young and I'm sure he's dying for a HC position somewhere.Unless the G-Men give him a HUGE bump in pay to stay as their DC, I'm sure he'd take the Atlanta job if offered. If not, you all have BIG problems!

From what I've seen of this guy he looks like a great coach, young, aggressive, the players like to play for him. I'd love to see you guys nab him. If Blank & McKay leave him alone he could really do wonders for your team I bet.I'd just like to see things get interesting here in the NFC South again. Snagging this guy could well put you all back on track to respectability.Will you beat the BUCS??????????????????????Not A CHANCE! [Wink]